


may the rivers of friendship never run dry

by ahermioneh



Series: Nursey Week 2021 [6]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Art, Friendship, Gen, Nursey Week 2021, Nursey Week: Day 6 - Friendship, but it doesn't include art, it's about art
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 01:14:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29427945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahermioneh/pseuds/ahermioneh
Summary: Nursey volunteers to model for Lardo's Senior Project.
Relationships: Larissa "Lardo" Duan & Derek "Nursey" Nurse
Series: Nursey Week 2021 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2154669
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	may the rivers of friendship never run dry

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for [Nursey Week 2021](https://nurseyweek2021.tumblr.com/): Day 6: Friendship

This year Nursey’s found himself at the Haus more often than not, even with Shitty having graduated. Between hanging out with Chowder in his room and just talking, helping (well, hindering) Bitty in the kitchen, or, as he is today, helping Lardo out with her senior projects, he’s spending pretty much all of his waking (and the majority of his sleeping) hours either here on Frat Row or in class. It’s getting to the point where he’s sure he _must_ be annoying someone with his constant presence, no matter how many times the Haus’ numerous occupants have waved away his concerns. 

He winces as his elbow starts screaming at him for the amount of weight he’s laying on it. Maybe jokingly suggesting to Lardo that she could “paint him like one of her French girls” was actually a terrible idea, no matter how funny it had been two hours ago. The only reason he doesn’t fully regret it is because of the way Lardo’s eyes had lit up when he suggested it and she’d gone off on a whole spiel about how if she portrayed it correctly this piece could be a satire of the male gaze. Who’s Nursey to ruin her fun? Especially as Lardo has managed to corral the concept in line with her senior project on gender roles in art and society.

The looks of excitement that cross Lardo’s face every time she looks up at him make this entire endeavour worth it for Nursey, in spite of the way the floorboards are giving him splinters up his side where his shirt and sweater have rucked up slightly. He cringes slightly, but manages to stop himself from moving too much and ruining Lardo’s painting.

Lardo sticks her tongue out a bit to the side and tilts her head slightly, holding her palette knife aloft. “That’s perfect, Nurse,” she says, swiping a bit more paint across her canvas. “Just a couple more minutes and then I’ll be done.” 

Nursey lets out the softest groan he can and does everything in his power to stop his back muscles from buckling with relief. He’s just got to hold out for two more minutes and then he’s free to find a comfy surface to lay on for the next hour or twelve until the aches go away, or at least until his side doesn’t feel like it’s burning. He’ll take either one at this point; he’s not fussy.

“And we’re done.” 

Nursey drops like a stone, face hitting the floor with a thud. He rolls onto his back and moans, rubbing at his nose. 

“You alright there, Nurse?” Lardo asks, coming over to inspect the damage. He lets out another groan in response. Lardo chuckles. “Dude, you lasted way longer than Shitty ever did. Not gonna lie, I didn’t expect you to have it in you to hold on for that long.” She offers her hand for a fist bump, which Nursey feebly reciprocates. “Mad respect, bro.”

Nursey’s eyes slide shut. “You mean I could have moved at any time?”

“Yup.” Lardo taps him on the shoulder, forcing his eyes open, before offering him a hand up. “C’mon, do you wanna see the piece or not?”

He hefts himself to his feet before stumbling over to look at the canvas, covered in swipes of red and blue. He knows fuck all about art, let alone how to describe it; he just doesn’t understand how anyone can accurately express the emotions that artwork evokes within them. However, he _does_ know one thing. 

It’s stunning.

Nursey feels a grin unfurl across his face and he turns to Lardo to sweep her up in his arms, spinning her around, no matter how much his left arm is protesting. She squeals slightly at the sudden motion. “Dude, holy shit!” His voice is on the verge of hysteria, sounding more like laughter than speech. “You’re so fucking talented, Lards.” He places her carefully back on the ground. “Like I know fuck-all about art, but my Mama does, and this is _exactly_ the sort of thing she’d hang on the walls at home. Heck, it’s exactly the sort of thing she’d buy to put in her gallery downtown.”

Lardo beams up at him. “You really think so?”

“Bro, I _know_ so.” 

“I mean, it’s not finished yet,” Lardo says, shifting on the balls of her feet. “I still need to add a ton of the details, but yeah, I have a good feeling about this one, Nurse.” She smiles softly at him. “Thanks, dude.”

“No problem.” He shoots a pair of finger guns at her. “Now if you don’t mind, I’m gonna go collapse on the couch and sleep for like a week straight.”

“Cool.” Lardo busies herself by tidying up some of her art supplies. “We’re still on to go through the bibliography for my thesis tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah!” Nursey pauses in the doorway. “You know I’m _always_ a slut for bibliographies.” He shoots another pair of finger guns at her before immediately realising that it’s probably weird that he’s done that twice and he shoves his hands in his pockets as he starts to walk towards the staircase.

“Nurse,” Lardo calls, “one last thing. You didn’t hear me make that noise when you picked me up.”

Nursey halts in his tracks and turns to grin at her, catching her drift. He holds his hands up. “What noise? I didn’t hear anything.” 

Lardo smirks back at him. “Good.”

“But also, remind me to bring a yoga mat or blanket to lie on if I ever do this again.”

“Noted.”

**Author's Note:**

> Check out all the works for Nursey Week 2021 [here](https://nurseyweek2021.tumblr.com)


End file.
